709th Week: We Will Not Give up on Galatasaray

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Saturday Mothers/People, who have been prevented from staging their sit-in protests at Galatasaray Square since the 700th week, made their statement for the press in front of the Human Rights Association (İHD) İstanbul Branch office in Beyoğlu in their 709th week on October 27.

Carrying carnations and the pictures of their loved ones, who disappeared while in police custody years ago, in their hands, Saturday Mothers/People were also accompanied and supported by representatives of non-governmental organizations and political parties.

Unlike previous weeks, the police officers announced, "Statement for the press is allowed to be made on this street" and the street was closed to vehicle traffic by the police as of 12 p.m.

"We are calling the state to fulfill its duty"

This week's statement for the press of Saturday Mothers/People was read out by İkbal Eren, the sister of Hayrettin Eren, who disappeared in custody.

Emphasizing that their sit-in protests in front of Galatasaray High School have been unlawfully prevented, İkbal Eren stated that they would not give up on Galatasaray Square.

Addressing the disappearance of Hüseyin Toraman while in police custody in the district of Kocamustafapaşa in İstanbul in 1991, Eren also said,

"Putting an end to the impunity in the (case) file of Hüseyin Toraman is a constitutional duty of the state as well as a legal obligation as per the international conventions it has signed. We are calling the State of the Republic of Turkey to fulfil this legal obligation and duty.

"Until the day, when our demand for the truth and justice is met, we will give up on neither looking for our losses, nor on the Galatasaray Square, which is our meeting place with our losses."

"There was not such cruelty even in Sultanate"

Speaking after İkbal Eren at the statement for the press, Hüseyin Toraman's mother Hatice Toraman also said,

"They told me, 'No way! How could a state cause the disappearance of a citizen, whom it is obliged to protect?' I did also not believe it when my son was detained. I thought that it only happened to me. Then, we staged a sit-in protest. At first, there were seven of us, but, we became 200 later on.

"People were afraid of saying their children disappeared in custody. They also told me, 'Do not go; they will kill both you and your son.' They tried to silence us with fear, oppression, torture; but, we will not keep silent.

"My son was a high school teacher, he did not even hurt a fly. His only guilt was being a leftist. Even in Sultanate, there was not such cruelty of dictatorship as it is in this country."

Before leaving the street after their statement for the press, Saturday Mothers/People emphasized once again that they wanted to gather at Galatasaray next week. (EMK/BK/SD)